I Love overcast days, the gray skies make the colors of Autumn appear more vibrant. My hike is bathed in the rust and gold glow of the rapidly changing Forest Leaves. When I reach the Carriage Road I arrive to witness a feral cat stalking both a Squirrel and a male Cardinal. It’s concentration is so focused on it’s targets it does not see me until a squirrel and I meet face to face. I am happy to intervene as the Cat is NOT a native species in the Forest. It crosses my mind that the last time I saw the rabbits was just before the Cat began regularly prowling the the Carriage road.

The Dead Chief Trail is the last hold out of much of the vanishing green in the park. That combined with the gold Leaves sprinkling the trail reminds me of a fairy tale path. When I reach the the Short Cut Trail the Leaves higher on the mountain are changing to gold and rust. The Trees in the picnic area are a lovely confetti pattern of green, rust and gold. As I stop for a drink of water a breeze causes a lovely rustling sound as it brushes past the changing leaves.

The Hot Springs Mountain Trail is no longer a tunnel of green the Leaves. The Forest canopy is vanishing giving way to the Tree sculptures of winter. It feels as if old friends from my first days of hiking in the Forest are returning to greet me. I Love the changing seasons in the park, each day reveals new details hidden by spring and summer. My hike is tranquil in cloud covered skies of a wonderful Autumn morning. As I near the trail head at the Hot Springs Mountain Road the Leaves begin the change to a rich gold. On North Mountain the leaves becoming a rust and gold carpet across the Upper and Lower Dogwood Trails. The greenery of the Forest floor is giving way to the rust of the falling leaves.

When I reach the Floral Trail standing to the side is a glorious Tree, vibrant contrast of Red against the green and gold along the path. It is a beautiful sight as I finish my morning hike in the Autumn Forest.